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More motorbikes sold to China's rural buyers

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-24 17:08

BEIJING -- The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) released Friday a new list of subsidized motorcycles for rural buyers.

According to a MIIT statement on its website, 458 types of motorcycles were added to a list of motorbikes that can be sold to rural buyers at subsidized prices.

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In March this year, the MIIT and the Ministry of Finance unveiled the first list of 281 types of motorcycles covered by the subsidies.

Also, the MIIT statement removed two types of motorcycles produced in Shandong and Hunan provinces from the subsidy list. Reason for the removal is not immediately known.

China rolled out subsidy policies for rural auto and motorbike purchases in 2009 to lift rural residents' living standards and spur domestic consumption during the global downturn.

Under the program, purchases of cars in rural areas receive a 10 percent subsidy while purchases of motorbikes get a 13 percent subsidy.

The Chinese government scrapped the car subsidy program to rural consumers at the end of 2010, while the subsidy for motorcycle purchases was extended to January 2013.